Purse

(1.) Gr. balantion, a bag (Luke 10:4; 22:35, 36). (2.) Gr. zone, properly a girdle (Matt. 10:9; Mark 6:8), a money-belt. As to our Lord’s sending forth his disciples without money in their purses, the remark has been made that in this “there was no departure from the simple manners of the country. At this day the farmer sets out on excursions quite as extensive without a para in his purse; and a modern Moslem prophet of Tarshisha thus sends forth his apostles over this identical region. No traveller in the East would hestitate to throw himself on the hospitality of any village.” Thomson’s Land and the Book. (See SCRIP.)

a bag for money. The Hebrews, when on a journey, were provided with a bag, in which they carried their money, (Genesis 42:35; Proverbs 1:14; 7:20; Isaiah 46:6) and, if they were merchants, also their weights. (25:13; Micah 6:11) This bag is described in the New Testament by the terms balantion (bag) (Luke 10:4; 12:33; 22:35,38) and glossokomon (originally the bag in which musicians carried the mouth-pieces of their Instruments). (John 12:6; 13:29) The girdle also served as a purse. (Matthew 10:9; Mark 6:8) Ladies wore ornamental purses. (Isaiah 3:24)

PURSE, a sort of girdle, such as is often found at the present day in Eastern countries. One part of the girdle, sufficient to encompass the body, was sewed double and fastened with a buckle. The other was wound around above or below the first fold, and tucked under. The first fold had an opening, closed with a leathern cover and strap, through which the contents of the purse were passed. Matt 10:9; Mark 6:8.

PURSE, a sort of girdle, such as is often found at the present day in Eastern countries. One part of the girdle, sufficient to encompass the body, was sewed double and fastened with a buckle. The other was wound around above or below the first fold, and tucked under. The first fold had an opening, closed with a leathern cover and strap, through which the contents of the purse were passed. Matt 10:9; Mark 6:8.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie. Chaucer. Who steals my purse steals trash. Shak.

2. Hence, a treasury; finances; as, the public purse.

3. A sum of money offered as a prize, or collected as a present; as, to win the purse; to make up a purse.

4. A specific sum of money; as:

5. In Turkey, the sum of 500 piasters.

6. In Persia, the sum of 50 tomans. Light purse, or Empty purse, poverty or want of resources. -- Long purse, or Heavy purse, wealth; riches. -- Purse crab (Zoöl.), any land crab of the genus Birgus, allied to the hermit crabs. They sometimes weigh twenty pounds or more, and are very strong, being able to crack cocoanuts with the large claw. They chiefly inhabit the tropical islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, living in holes and feeding upon fruit. Called also palm crab. -- Purse net, a fishing net, the mouth of which may be closed or drawn together like a purse. Mortimer. Purse pride, pride of money; insolence proceeding from the possession of wealth. Bp. Hall. -- Purse rat. (Zoöl.) See Pocket gopher, under Pocket. -- Sword and purse, the military power and financial resources of a nation.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To put into a purse. I will go and purse the ducats straight. Shak.

2. To draw up or contract into folds or wrinkles, like the mouth of a purse; to pucker; to knit. Thou . . . didst contract and purse thy brow. Shak.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To steal purses; to rob. [Obs. & R.] I'll purse: . . . I'll bet at bowling alleys. Beau. & Fl.